DON BOSCO ANBU ILLAM is committed to fostering community empowerment and driving positive change at the grassroots level. To achieve this, they establish community-based organizations (CBOs) that focus on raising awareness and promoting collaborative action within local communities. These CBOs offer community-based care and support, particularly to child labourers and their families.

The CBOs encompass a diverse range of local community members, including youth, women, unorganized labourers, and slum dwellers. By involving various stakeholders, DBAI ensures that the unique perspectives and experiences of each group are represented and considered when addressing community challenges.

Through this approach, marginalized youth and communities are empowered to become change agents, actively participating in the planning and execution of their own development initiatives. These individuals form a powerful people’s movement against pressing issues such as child labour, bonded labour, lack of basic amenities, dowry, early marriage, communal violence, and casteism.

DBAI also facilitates the formation of local forums where residents can discuss their problems and collaborate to find effective solutions. These forums serve as a platform for community members to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and collectively work toward improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

Vocational Guidance is an important and very urgent need of Youth today. Many of the youngsters are very well educated and well qualified, but they find difficult to find the right job. In order to realize the felt need of the context, a centre for career guidance, training and job placement was established under the umbrella of ‘Don Bosco Vazhikaatti’ to create an awareness among the rural youth about the available job opportunities in the government and private sectors, through self-employment schemes and career oriented services.

Vazhikaatti extends its service to all the central and southern district of Tamil Nadu. It has its regional office in Salem. The students who look for job are registered in Vazhikaatti and in turn the Vazhikaatti tries to find a suitable job for the person. The organisation has also involved in conducting life coping skills, orientation seminars and career guidance in schools and colleges. Mega events like Vetri Namadhe and Job fairs is also organised by Vazhikaatti.

The Salesian Past Pupils’ Association is an international movement of young people and adults, men and women, established by Confederal Statutes, with Local Branches attached to many Salesian works throughout the world. While all those who have attended Salesian schools, youth centres, hostels, camps or other works, or have been associated with Salesian parishes, are past pupils, by virtue of their Salesian education, the Association of Past Pupils of Don Bosco attracts those who wish to maintain their association with the Salesian Family in a particular manner.

In Salem the Past Pupil’s Association has been making a progressive impact in the works of Don Bosco Anbu Illam. Through this association the boys who were educated and given life through Anbu Illam are regularly followed up and kept in touch. Twice in a year (May & December) a meeting is organised to gather them in Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Salem. An input session on life scoping and job acquiring skills are given. And then they share about their experience in their working place. They also involve in the activities of Anbu Illam.

The Salesian Co-operators are a public association of lay Catholics, men and women, who share in the spirit and mission of Don Bosco. They live their vocation to contribute to the salvation of the young within the context of their own life, work, family and local parish. Groups of Salesian Co-operators are often associated with a local Salesian school, parish or youth centre. The Salesian Co-operators were established by Don Bosco himself. In order to address the needs of the hundreds of young people who came to him, Don Bosco sought the cooperation of committed Catholics to assist him in conducting and funding his work.

In Salem, the Salesian Co-operators movement is active and agile with more than thirty members taking part in regular meetings and helping in the activities of Anbu Illam. Many of the staff of Anbu Illam and parents of Salesians have been incorporated into the movement. At present 12 of them have taken the promise as Salesian Co-operators.

An institution achieves its greatness not in carrying out the activities by itself, but by the mere fact that the activities are run without them, that is through the volunteers. Don Bosco Anbu Illam has been adhering to so many people through various activities in and around Salem. Irrespective of the limited number of staff the activities are still carried out efficiently through the help of many volunteers that it has promoted. In most of the places it is the volunteers who do the works of Anbu Illam. The organisation has moved to a greater height through people who volunteer themselves to take up what Anbu Illam has envisaged and foreseen